The “Kudzu Bug” Invasion: What You Need to Know in North Georgia

By Fred Talley, Faith Pest Control

If you’ve lived around Jasper, Ellijay, or anywhere in the North Georgia Mountains for more than a few years, you’ve probably noticed a “new” neighbor that’s making itself right at home. I’m talking about the Kudzu Bug (Megacopta cribraria).

Now, we’re used to ladybugs and those pesky Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs, but these little guys are a different breed of nuisance. If you’ve seen small, olive-brown, square-shaped beetles clustering on your white siding or swarming your soybean crops, you’ve met the Kudzu Bug.

Where Did They Come From?

They aren’t from around here. They first showed up in Georgia back in 2009—right down the road in Hoschton—and they’ve spread like wildfire across the Southeast. They’re named after their favorite snack: Kudzu. Since we’ve got plenty of “the vine that ate the South” up here in the mountains, the Kudzu Bug thinks North Georgia is a five-star buffet.

Why Are They a Problem for You?

While they love kudzu, they don’t stop there. Here’s why they’re a headache for homeowners in Jasper and beyond:

The Smell and the Stain: Just like a stink bug, if you squish a Kudzu Bug, it releases a foul-smelling defense chemical. Even worse? That liquid can actually cause a mild skin burn or “stain” your skin and your home’s siding.

The “Home Invasion”: As the weather starts to cool down in the fall, these bugs look for a warm place to spend the winter. They love light-colored surfaces (like white or beige siding) because they soak up the sun. Once they find a gap in your windows or trim, they’ll crawl inside by the hundreds.

Agricultural Impact: If you’re a farmer or gardener, watch out. They love legumes—specifically soybeans and snap beans. They can do some real damage to a crop if left unchecked.

How to Keep Them Out

At Faith Pest Control, we believe an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Here is what I recommend for my North Georgia neighbors:

Seal the Gaps: Take a look at your doors and windows. If you see light coming through, a Kudzu Bug can get through. Use a high-quality caulk to seal cracks and replace worn-out weatherstripping.

Check Your Screens: Make sure your window screens are tight and don’t have any holes.

Don’t Squish ‘Em: If they get inside, don’t reach for the fly swatter. Use a vacuum with a hose attachment to suck them up, then empty the bag or canister into a bucket of soapy water. This avoids the smell and the staining.

Professional Perimeter Treatment: The best way to stop an invasion is to stop them before they ever get inside. We apply a specialized exterior treatment that creates a barrier they can’t cross.

We’re Here to Help

Living in the North Georgia Mountains is a blessing, but the bugs can be a chore. If you’re tired of seeing these brown specks all over your beautiful home, give us a call at Faith Pest Control. We know the Jasper and North Georgia area like the back of our hand, and we know exactly how to handle a Kudzu Bug problem.

Stay bug-free, neighbors!

Keepin’ the Tail Waggin’: How We Do Pet-Friendly Pest Control in Jasper

Well, howdy neighbors! Fred Talley here from Faith Pest Control, right here in our beautiful corner of North Georgia.

If you’re like me, your four-legged friends aren’t just “animals”—they’re family. Whether it’s a loyal lab curled up by the fireplace or a curious tabby prowling the porch, the last thing any of us wants is to put them in harm’s way while tryin’ to get rid of uninvited guests like roaches, ants, or those nasty North Georgia spiders.

Folks ask me all the time: “Fred, can I really keep my home bug-free without worryin’ about my dog or cat?” The answer is a big, North Georgia YES. But it takes a little bit of “faith” in the right process and a whole lot of common sense. Here’s what makes a pest control service truly pet-friendly.

It Starts with “IPM” (That’s Expert Talk for Common Sense)

At Faith Pest Control, we don’t just “spray and pray.” We use what’s called Integrated Pest Management (IPM). It’s a fancy term, but here’s what it means for your pets:

• Targeted Treatment: Instead of soaking your whole baseboard in chemicals, we look for the source. We put the treatment where the bugs live and the pets don’t—like deep in cracks, crevices, and behind appliances.
• Bait Stations: If we use baits for ants or roaches, we use tamper-resistant stations. These are little “lockboxes” that keep the good guys (your pets) out and the bad guys (the bugs) in.
• Exclusion First: Sometimes the best pest control isn’t a spray at all; it’s a tube of caulk! By sealing up those gaps around your foundation or utility pipes, we keep the bugs out so we don’t have to use as much product inside.

The “Dry Rule”

One of the most important things to remember is the drying window. Most of the professional products we use today are specifically designed to be safe for pets once they have completely dried.

Fred’s Pro Tip: I always tell my neighbors to keep their pets in a “safe room” or out for a walk while I’m workin’. Once that product is dry—usually about 30 to 60 minutes depending on the humidity—it’s perfectly fine for them to go back to their favorite nap spot.

Knowing Your “Exotic” Neighbors

Now, I know not everyone just has cats and dogs. We’ve got folks in Jasper with birds, fish, and even the occasional reptile. These little critters can be more sensitive.

• Fish Tanks: If we’re doin’ an indoor treatment, we always ask you to cover the tank with a towel and turn off the air pump for a little bit to keep the water pure.
• Birds: Their lungs are delicate! If we’re doin’ any kind of heavy-duty work, it’s best to move the cage to a part of the house we aren’t touchin’.

My Personal “Make You Happy” Guarantee

Termite and pest control is serious business. It involves chemicals, and I’ll never tell you otherwise. But when you hire someone who treats you like a neighbor—not a number—you get the peace of mind that comes with knowing the job is done right.

I’m a Georgia State Certified Pest Control Operator, and I’ve spent years learnin’ exactly how these products interact with our environment. My promise to you is simple: If you hire me to get rid of your pest problem and you aren’t 100% HAPPY within 30 days, I’ll come back and retreat for FREE until you are.

So, don’t let the bugs run your house, and don’t let “worry” keep you from callin’ the pros. We’ll keep the pests out and the tails waggin’.

Give us a ring right here in Jasper, and let’s bring some peace back to your home!

When the Walls Start Talking: What to Do if You Hear Mice in Your Jasper Home

If you’re sitting in your living room here in Pickens County, enjoying a quiet evening, and you suddenly hear a scritch-scritch-scritch coming from inside your drywall, I know exactly what’s going through your head. Your skin starts to crawl, and you start wondering if you’ve got a tiny renovation crew moving in behind the baseboards.

At Faith Pest Control, we hear from folks in Jasper every week who are dealing with this exact problem. In North Georgia, mice love our cozy homes just as much as we do—especially when the weather turns.

If you hear those tell-tale sounds, here is what you need to do (and what you definitely shouldn’t do).

1. Identify the Sound

Mice are nocturnal, so you’ll usually hear them most clearly at night when the house is still.

• The Sound: It’s typically a light scratching, scurrying, or even a faint squeak.
• The Location: If it sounds like it’s “moving” horizontally along the floorboards or vertically up a corner, you’re likely dealing with a mouse using your wall studs as a ladder.

1. Don’t Just Start Pounding on the Walls

I’ve seen folks try to “scare” them out by hitting the walls. All that does is make the mice hunker down or move to a different part of the house. It doesn’t solve the entry point or the nesting problem.

1. Look for the “Highway”

Mice don’t just stay in the walls; they have to come out for food and water. Check your pantry, under the kitchen sink, and behind the stove. Look for:

• Droppings: Small, dark grains of rice.
• Rub Marks: Mice have oily fur; they leave dark smudges along the baseboards where they travel.
• Chew Marks: Look at your plastic containers or the corners of your cabinets.

1. Check the Perimeter (The Jasper Special)

Around here, we have plenty of trees and brush right up against our houses. Walk around the outside of your home and look for any gap larger than a dime. If a pencil can fit in a hole, a mouse can squeeze through it. Check where the utility lines enter the house and look for gaps in the foundation.

The “Faith” Approach to Mice

A lot of people run to the hardware store and grab those yellow boxes of poison. I want to give you a word of caution on that: If a mouse eats poison inside your wall and dies there, you’re going to have a smell in your house that you won’t soon forget.

At Faith Pest Control, we believe in doing things the right way—the “Faithful” way. We focus on:

• Exclusion: Sealing those holes so they can’t get in to begin with.
• Strategic Trapping: Removing the mice safely and effectively without leaving a mess behind your sheetrock.
• Sanitation Advice: Helping you identify what’s attracting them so they don’t come back.

Don’t Live with Houseguests You Didn’t Invite

If you’re hearing those noises in Jasper, Talking Rock, or Marble Hill, don’t wait until they chew through a wire or start a family. Give us a call at Faith Pest Control. We’ll come out, take a look, and give you a straight answer on how to get your peace and quiet back.

We’re not just killing bugs and rodents; we’re protecting your family’s home.